Customer Loyalty Statistics: 2016 Edition

Update: Looking for 2018 stats? We've got them right here.

Customer loyalty is a world of moving targets. Consumer sentiment is shifting constantly, as are the strategies and tactics loyalty marketers utilize. It's hard to stay on top of what's happening in the industry.
 
We want to make it a bit easier for you. Just as we did in 2015, we're going to compile every new, relevant statistic around customer loyalty and loyalty marketing. This page will be a bit bare for the next few weeks, but it'll fill up quickly as more research is published.
 
Every new piece of data added here will also be added to our ultimate collection of loyalty statistics, which encompasses every year (though we try to eliminate stats that are older than four years or so). When relevant, data from this page will also be added to our ultimate collection of Millennial loyalty statistics, or our employee engagement statistics page
 
If those aren't enough stats for you, then we also maintain a collection of coupon statistics. Hey, we're stat geeks
 
As always, we'll provide a link back to the original source of the data. If you have research you'd like us to include, feel free to drop it in the comments.

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2016 Customer Loyalty Statistics

  • 86% of consumers say loyalty is primarily driven by likeability and 83% of consumers say trust (Rare)
  • 26% of consumers mention the terms “trust” and “consistency” as an important element of brand loyalty (Rare)
  • 77% of people are considered brand loyal…of these, 37% make repeat purchases and are loyal to a company and 40% make repeat purchases but are not necessarily “loyal” (Facebook)
  • Women are more brand loyal than men (Crowdtwist)
  • Millennials are 1.75x more likely than Boomers to say they’d like to be brand-loyal (Facebook)
  • People who use Facebook more than five times a day are 1.25x more likely to be Brand Loyalists than people who use Facebook at least once a month. The same is true for Instagram (1.26x) (Facebook)
  • Women are 22.19% more likely than men to always buy the product or services regardless of price, quality, convenience, or brand promise (Crowdtwist)
  • Men and women are loyal to specific brands, but 35.66% of men and 28.77% of women would consider other alternatives that offer better quality (Crowdtwist)
  • 35.03% of women and 32.95% of men would consider other alternatives to their preferred brand or product that offer a better price (Crowdtwist)
  • 25.05% of women will share a post on social media to earn loyalty points compared to 14.92% of men (Crowdtwist)
  • Personalization is a higher priority for driving loyalty for Generation K (54%) and Millennials (52%), than it is for Generation X (48%) and Baby Boomers (40%) (Rare)
  • Fun is an important loyalty driver with 64% of Generation K listing it as a priority compared with 60% of Millennials, 55% of Generation X and 44% of Baby Boomers (Rare)
  • Value for money is a more important loyalty driver for Baby Boomers (70%) and Gen X (70%) than it is for Millennials (65%) and Gen K (61%) (Rare)
  • 56% of consumers said receiving a personalized incentive would improve consideration of the brand (Virtual Incentives)
  • 77% of Millennials engage with brands around CSR vs. 53% U.S. average (USC Dornsife)
  • 62% of Millennials report that brand engagement is more likely to make them a loyal customer (USC Dornsife)
  • 91% of Millennials have preferences for brands associated with a cause vs. 85% U.S. average (USC Dornsife)
  • 85% of Millennials are more likely to make a purchase if it is personalized to their interests, both in-store and with digital displays (USC Dornsife)
  • 28% of Millennials have participated in a boycott (Buzz Marketing Group)
  • 25% of Millennials are fully engaged customers (Gallup)
  • Millennials are more brand-loyal than any other age group (American Express)
  • 62% of Millennials said they tended to only buy a preferred brand, compared to just 54% of the wider population (American Express)
  • 48% of Millennials expect brands to customize offers to suit their needs, and 39% will go out of their way to use a customized offer vs. 32% of other age groups (American Express)
  • 81% of U.S. Gen Z consumers are willing to switch from their favorite brand if they find a similar product at higher quality (Interactions)
  • 48.3% of U.S. mother internet users are loyal to a product brand; of these, 58.2% said the main reason they love a brand is because of quality and consistency (Collective Bias)
  • 1.4% of U.S. mother internet users said Advertising was the primary thing making them loyal (Collective Bias)
  • 3.4% of U.S. mother internet users said a company that is socially responsible was the primary thing making them loyal (Collective Bias)
  • 4.1% of U.S. mother internet users said they love a brand because it provides useful content (Collective Bias)
  • 77% of consumers like when brands demonstrate their appreciation (TD Bank)
  • Roughly one third of consumers report that they prefer their thanks in the form of points or miles (TD Bank)
  • 47% of customers would take their business to a competitor within a day of experiencing poor customer service (24/7)
  • Customers are willing to spend anywhere from 3% to 20% more on items from a business that engages with them through Twitter (Twitter)
  • Customers who receive responses on Twitter from a business are 30% more likely to recommend the brand to others, and 44% more likely to share their experience online and off (Twitter)
  • 30% of the US changes brand often just for the sake of variety and novelty (GfK)
  • 49% of consumers will gladly switch brands for a coupon (GfK)
  • 26% of consumers say they shop more frequently at stores where they can earn rewards, 17% plan ahead to take advantage of rewards and promotions, and 14% shop only where they can earn rewards (Excentus)
  • 13% of consumers said the ability to earn more rewards or save more money would prompt them to switch brands or shop at a different store (Excentus)
  • 53% of adults living in high-income households are willing to switch brands for the sake of using a coupon (GfK)
  • 60% of mobile coupon users say they will “gladly switch brands to use a coupon" (GfK)
  • 37% of consumers who ended a business relationship did so because they were frustrated with the IVR (24/7)
  • 60% of consumers have not completed an intended purchase based on a poor customer service experience. (BI Intelligence)
  • It takes 12 positive customer experiences to negate the poor impression left behind from one unresolved, bad experience (BI Intelligence)
  • 52% of consumers have switched providers in the past year due to poor customer service (Accenture)
  • The estimated cost of customers switching due to poor service is $1.6 trillion (Accenture)
  • 81% of consumers admit that it is frustrating dealing with a company that does not make it easy to do business with them (Accenture)
  • Once a provider loses a customer, 68% of consumers will not go back (Accenture)
  • 80% of ‘switchers’ feel the company could have done something to retain them (Accenture)
  • 83% of consumers who switched providers say if companies could provide better live or in-person support, it would have impacted their decision to switch providers (Accenture)
  • 61% of Millennials have ditched one of their favorite brands for another (GT Nexus)
  • 67% of U.S. Millennials admit to having switched one of their favorite brands in the last 12 months (GT Nexus)
  • 49% of consumers cite quality problems and 44% cite issues with product availability as the two biggest reasons for switching from one of their favorite brands to another (GT Nexus)
  • 32% of consumers would turn on a brand if it doesn’t treat or pay its workers fairly (GT Nexus)
  • 27% of consumers would switch brands if the product isn’t environmentally friendly (GT Nexus)
  • The lack of a strong social media presence (9%), the lack of a mobile app (7%) or the lack of a cool website (7%) don’t compel millennials to turn on their favorite brands (GT Nexus)
  • 6% of Millennials cited absence of social media or a poor website experience as reason for switching brands (GT Nexus)
  • 5% of Millennials cited the lack of a mobile app as reason for switching brands (GT Nexus)
  • 40% of Millennials cited product quality or the unavailability of a brand in-store or online as primary reasons for dumping a brand for a competitor (GT Nexus)
  • 47% of Millennials cited the importance of providing ethically sourced and environmentally-friendly products as reasons for switching apparel brands (GT Nexus)
  • 25% of employers have seen an increase in customer loyalty after increasing employee educational requirements (CareerBuilder)
  • 27% of small business owners estimate that 11-20% of first time customers don’t return to their business (Belly)
  • 32% of executives say retaining existing customers is a priority (Forbes)
  • Existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products, and spend 31% more than new customers (Koyne Marketing
  • 31% of executives say improving customer engagement is a priority (Forbes)
  • 29% of executives say maximizing customer lifetime value is a priority (Forbes)
  • 55% of consumers who leave feedback in a mobile app are not likely to remain a customer if their feedback goes seemingly ignored (Apptentive)
  • 66% of companies that saw a decrease in customer loyalty over the past year do not have a mobile app (Apptentive)
  • 55% of consumers said they are not likely to continue being a customer of a company that ignores their feedback (Apptentive)
  • 97% of consumers said they are somewhat likely to become more loyal to a company that implements their feedback (Apptentive)
  • Millennials are substantially more likely than Boomers to reuse a product or service after a problem is resolved (JD Power)New Call-to-action

2016 Loyalty Program / Loyalty Marketing Statistics

  • 80% of Gen Z consumers are willing to sign up for loyalty cards in exchange for deals/discounts (Interactions)
  • 85% of loyalty program members prefer interacting with their favorite loyalty program online (Collinson Latitude)
  • 63% of loyalty program members believe having a wide range of rewards and offers is the most important aspect of a loyalty program (Collinson Latitude)
  • 74.17% of women said they would refer a friend to a loyalty program that they participate in compared to 67.05% of men (Crowdtwist)
  • 76.82% of women and 73.84% of men are likely to shop with a brand that has a loyalty program (Crowdtwist)
  • While 63% of consumers participate in payments rewards programs, only 19% use rewards programs regularly (Accenture)
  • 74% of Baby Boomers, 58% of Gen X and 41% of Millennials claim they would be encouraged to spend with a brand that has a loyalty program (ICLP)
  • 29% of Millennials rated “too many programs to keep track of” as one of their top three things they dislike about rewards programs vs. 17% of Gen X’ers and 20% of Boomers (Vantiv)
  • Points accumulated for free merchandise or travel (47%) and automatic discounts at time of purchase (41%) are the top reasons for signing up for rewards (Vantiv)
  • 43% of consumers say rewards programs require too much spending to reach the next level of status, 36% say the points or rewards expire before they can use them, and 33% say it’s hard to use the rewards because of all the restrictions (Vantiv)
  • 33% of Millennials dislike rewards programs because there are too many cards to carry (Vantiv)
  • 70% of consumers do not sign up for a loyalty program due to the inconvenience and time required to complete registration (3Cinteractive)
  • 72% of consumers said they would be more likely to sign up for a loyalty program if the process was simplified by text message (3Cinteractive)
  • 19% of Marketers listed loyalty acquisition at the top of their list as a primary objective for 2017 (3Cinteractive)
  • Consumers said that savvy shoppers (34.5%), followed by credit card companies (27%), brands (26%) and wealthy people (12%) benefit most from customer reward programs (Colloquy)
  • 60% of consumers believe in their reward programs (Colloquy)
  • 76% of consumers said they plan to make no changes in their level of participation in reward programs in 2017, while 12% said they’d participate more and 12% said they’ll participate less (Colloquy)
  • 57% of marketers intend to increase their customer loyalty budgets in 2016 (CrowdTwist)
  • 57% of brands indicate that they will increase loyalty program budgets in 2017 (CrowdTwist)
  • 44% of digital marketers said they will somewhat increase loyalty budgets, and 13% plan to significantly (CrowdTwist)
  • 4% of digital marketers said they anticipate lowering investment in loyalty programs (CrowdTwist)
  • 38% of brands do not deem their current loyalty efforts as either a success or failure (CrowdTwist)
  • 26% of marketers that do not have formal loyalty programs are using informal methods to encourage loyalty (CrowdTwist)
  • 31% of marketers ranked “driving engagement” as the main focus of their loyalty program (CrowdTwist)
  • 88% of marketers say executing coordinated campaigns across channels is an important activity relevant to loyalty efforts (CrowdTwist)
  • To save money, some Millennials (45.1%) use coupons and loyalty points (CCG Consulting)
  • 48% of consumers cited SMS as their preferred means of receiving loyalty messages, followed by email (22%) and app notifications (20%) (3Cinteractive)
  • 21% of brand marketers are using SMS for loyalty program communications (3Cinteractive)
  • 28% of marketers reported using mobile wallet as their primary channel for loyalty messaging and 21% citing SMS and push notifications (3Cinteractive)
  • 84% of U.S. businesses use some form of non-cash incentive awards (Incentive Federation)
  • Non-cash sales incentive programs are present in three out of five businesses; non-cash loyalty programs are used in 45% of firms; 41% use non-cash channel programs (Incentive Federation)
  • Gift cards are the most prevalent form of reward in all programs, except customer loyalty. Trips and travel is most frequently used with sales programs and least often within customer loyalty. (Incentive Federation)
  • The top 3 mobile wallet items consumers have used the most are loyalty cards, coupons and boarding passes (Urban Airship)
  • 84% of Millennials and 80% of adults with household incomes of $60k+ are more likely to use mobile payments if loyalty rewards and discounts are automatically applied (Urban Airship)
  • If adults receive expiration reminders via mobile wallet, 64% are more likely to use the coupon (Urban Airship)
  • 67% of U.S. adults and 58% of U.K. adults are likely to visit a store if they receive coupon expiration reminders when they’re close to a store (Urban Airship)
  • One-fourth of respondents use their physical loyalty cards “sometimes” or “rarely” and one-third “always” use them (Urban Airship)
  • Top 2 reasons adults don’t always use their physical loyalty cards are not bringing the card (43%) and forgetting they are part of the loyalty program (40%) (Urban Airship)
  • 69% of adults are more likely to use their loyalty card if it’s on their phone (Urban Airship)
  • 73% of adults are more likely to join a loyalty program if points and rewards are automatically updated and immediately visible on mobile wallet loyalty cards (Urban Airship)
  • 94% of customers indicated that they would use mobile wallets more often if they were able to earn and redeem loyalty rewards through the platform (Points)
  • 63.7% of small businesses plan on using a customer loyalty program in 2016 (Belly)
  • Consumers belong to an average of 13.4 loyalty programs, but are active in only 6.7 (Bond)
  • 81% of consumers are more likely to continue doing business with brands that offer loyalty programs (Bond)
  • 75% of consumers say loyalty programs are part of their relationship with brands (Bond)
  • 44% of loyalty program members are satisfied (Bond)
  • 70% of consumers modify the when/where they purchase from in order to maximize points (Bond)
  • 67% of consumers modify the brands/companies they purchase from in order to maximize points (Bond)
  • 66% of consumers modify amounts they spend to maximize points (Bond)
  • Over 20% of loyalty program members have never made a redemption (Bond)
  • Non-redeemers are 2.3 times more likely to defect than recent redeemers (Bond)
  • 39% of loyalty program members feel that their program fits very well with what they expect from a brand (Bond)
  • 73% of loyalty programs members are more likely to recommend brands with good loyalty programs (Bond)
  • 33% of consumers use their smartphones to sign up for a rewards program after making a purchase on their smartphone (Nielsen)
  • 44% of consumers have between 2-4 loyalty cards, 25% have between 5-9 loyalty cards (Vibes)
  • 77% of smartphone users said mobile offers, exclusive content and special birthday messaging, have a positive or very positive impact on their brand loyalty (Vibes)
  • 66% of smartphone users would have a more positive opinion of a loyalty program if they could store and access information on their smartphone in a mobile wallet app (Vibes)
  • 73% of smartphone users are very interested or somewhat interested in saving loyalty cards to their smartphones (Vibes)
  • 31% of loyalty program members, but only 15% of all U.S. online adults, will use a brand’s mobile app (Forrester)
  • 69% of Millennials belong to a retail loyalty program and 70% of those are happy with the program (Blackhawk Network)
  • Millennials are 2.2 times more willing than boomers to pay a premium for products and services if they can also earn loyalty and reward points (Bond)
  • 45% of consumers prefer rewards in the form of prepaid debit and gift cards (Blackhawk Network)
  • 59% of Millennials value loyalty programs that offer special services like concierge (Bond)
  • 70% of consumers find the option to redeem points instantly on credit card purchases appealing; 43% are willing to pay a premium for the convenience (Bond)
  • 23% of shoppers use mobile access to loyalty/rewards programs (PWC)
  • 52% of loyalty program members would not be willing to pay a membership fee (48% would) (Maritz)
  • More than 45% of consumers say the opportunity to earn rewards is a primary driver for purchasing from a brand (Maritz)
  • 43% of consumers join loyalty programs because of the desire to earn rewards (Maritz)
  • 68% of female vs. 60% of male loyalty program members are interested in earning rewards for non-purchase activities (Bond)
  • 17% of loyalty program members say they joined out of love for the brand’s products (Maritz)
  • 5% of loyalty program members say they joined because of a shared identity with brand values (Maritz)
  • 3 billion loyalty cards will operate as mobile-only or be integrated into mobile apps by 2020, up from 1.4 billion in 2015 (Juniper)
  • 57% of members want to engage with loyalty programs on a mobile device (Bond)
  • 50% of loyalty program members don't know if there is a mobile app to compliment their loyalty program (Bond)
  • 62% of women vs. 52% of men would like to engage with programs on a mobile device (Bond)
  • 57% of consumers are interested in using their mobile device to check their points balances, redeem reward points (55%), find a location/store (54%), and browse reward options (54%) (Bond)
  • 40% of millennials want to track/redeem rewards on an app (Software Advice)
  • 37% of millennials prefer receiving discounts for their loyalty program reward (software Advice)
  • Millennials are most incentivized to join a loyalty program based on how quickly rewards accrue (51%) and the variety of rewards available (38%) (Software Advice)
  • 50% of millennials stated they quit a loyalty program because rewards took too long to accrue (Software Advice)
  • 40% of millennials prefer to use an app to identify themselves as loyalty members (Software Advice)
  • 25% of cards downloaded to Apple Pay are store and loyalty cards (First Annapolis)
  • 57% of Midwesterners belong to a loyalty program that enables them to save on fuel, compared with 56% membership rates in the West, 52% South and 50% Northeast (Excentus)
  • 15% of Northeasterners are more likely to join a fuel savings rewards program based on a peer’s recommendation than consumers elsewhere (9%) (Excentus)
  • Rewards that help consumers save on the cost of gasoline ranked #1 in 2016 as the most popular loyalty program currency, with 37% of consumers preferring fuel discounts over credit card rewards, coupons, retailer points and instant discounts at the cash register (Excentus)
  • Consumers say they prefer fuel-saving rewards because they like saving money any way they can (39%) and they like earning rewards from everyday purchases made (23%) among a variety of retailers (Excentus)
  • 44% of Southerners say they join loyalty programs to save money any way they can, compared to 41% Midwest, 37% West and 33% Northeast (Excentus)
  • 67% of the affluent middle class value the flexibility to choose the rewards and benefits they are offered (Collinson Group)
  • 53% of young Millennials said reward programs are rigged, a 29% increase over the general population (Colloquy)
  • 37% of older Millennials said reward programs are rigged (Colloquy)
  • 59% of consumers say customer reward programs are not rigged, while 41% say that points, miles and cash back programs are rigged (Colloquy)
  • 82% of small businesses note that the purpose of their digital loyalty platform was to get customers to visit more often (Belly)
  • 32% of Executives believe referrals and recommendations from existing customers are the most important benefit of customer retention; driving incremental purchase from existing customers (19%); reduction of marketing costs (16%); increased revenue per customer over time (14%); predictable revenue (10%); and profitable revenue (9%) (Forbes/Sailthru)
  • 35% of media executives mentioned a lack of technologies to enable them to attain repeat or loyal customers (Forbes/Sailthru)
  • Brands that upped their spend on customer retention over the past one to three years drove a 200% higher chance of growing their market share (Forbes/Sailthru)
  • 38% of executives have a dedicated budget for customer experience (Leapfrog Marketing Institute)
  • 45% of companies have seen an increase in customer loyalty as a result of investing in the customer experience (Avanade)
  • 73% of Marketing and IT decision makers agreed that customer loyalty is lost without a focused brand experience (Sitecore)

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2016 Retail Loyalty Statistics

  • 40% of retailers offer loyalty apps (PointSource)
  • 43% of retailers track loyalty mobile metrics (PointSource)
  • 59% of shoppers stated they would be encouraged to shop more with a brand if it had a loyalty scheme (ICLP)
  • More than 50% of all shoppers would be encouraged to shop more frequently or spend more with a brand if they received discounts on future purchases (ICLP)
  • 91% of global online shoppers reported that they are a member of a loyalty/reward program (PWC)
  • Top 3 benefits global online shoppers said they received from their loyalty/reward programs: member-only discounts (70%), collecting reward points (61%), and free shipping (58%) (PWC)
  • 72% of global consumers agree that, all other factors equal, they’ll buy from a retailer with a loyalty program over one without (Nielson)
  • 66% of global consumers say they belong to one or more loyalty programs (Nielson)
  • 74% of global loyalty program participants agree that loyalty programs make them more likely to continue doing business with a company, and 67% agree they shop more frequently and spend more at retailers with loyalty programs (Nielson)
  • 66% of global consumers agree they’d shop more at online retailers if they provided loyalty benefits similar to those of traditional in-store retailers (Nielson)
  • 67% of shoppers will purchase items from different stores or websites to get the lowest price, and 72% said they would be enticed by promotions or coupons to shop at a store they have not used in the last year (Accenture)
  • 93% of shoppers who sign up for a loyalty program said special promotions influence their decision to sign up (CFI Group)
  • 60% of global online shoppers say they shop at their favorite retailer because the prices are good, items wanted are in stock (32%), and they trust the brand (32%) (PWC)
  • 56% of Millennials say they shop at their favorite retailer because their prices are good, brand affinity (33%), reliable delivery (25%), and an easy-to-use website or mobile site (23%) (PWC)
  • 54% of shoppers said they are open to sharing personal information and shopping preferences with retailers in order to receive personalized offers, compared to 51% last year, and 33% in 2014 (Accenture)
  • The factors most likely to entice shoppers to share personal data are discounts or coupons (78%), loyalty card points (52%) and highly relevant promotions (47%) (Accenture)
  • Retailers and publishers that increased their spending on retention in the last 1-3 years had a near 200% higher likelihood of increasing their market share in the last year over those spending more on acquisition (Forbes/Sailthru)
  • 69% of retailers see opportunities to utilize social media to enhance the customer experience (Boston Retailer Partners)
  • 43% of global online shoppers said interaction with their favorite brands on social media made them respect/value the brand more (PWC)
  • 80% of emerging markets online shoppers who have had interactions on social media valued the brand more, while just 47% of established markets online shoppers valued the brand more after social media interactions (PWC)
  • 51% U.S. retail professionals said social media drives customer acquisition and 44% said it drives retention (emarsys)
  • 16% of U.S. retail professionals said mobile marketing drives customer acquisition and 8% said it drives retention (emarsys)
  • 15% of U.S. retail professionals said marketplaces drive customer acquisition and 11% said it drives retention (emarsys)
  • 51% of global loyalty program participants say product discounts are among their three most valued benefits, followed by rebates & cash back (45%), free products (33%) and free shipping (32%) (Nielson)
  • 81% of global loyalty program participants say it’s appealing to earn rewards regardless of whether or not a purchase was made in-store, on a website or mobile device (Nielson)
  • 79% of global loyalty program participants say it’s appealing to be able to choose among several types of rewards (79%) (Nielson)
  • 57% of Baby Boomers say product discounts are among their three most valued benefits, followed by rebates & cash back (54%), free products (33%) and free shipping (34%) (Nielson)
  • 77% of global loyalty program members find personalized promotions based on past purchases appealing, as well as the opportunity to earn bonuses by doing a specified activity (76%) (Nielson)
  • 67% of global loyalty program members say integration with a mobile payment system is appealing, so they can automatically earn and use rewards when they use a mobile wallet (Nielson)
  • 31% of global online shoppers have accessed a coupon/promotional code on their mobile/smartphone whilst in-store and 21% have accessed loyalty/reward programs in-store (PWC)
  • 36% of Millennials have accessed a coupon/promotional code on their mobile/smartphone whilst in-store vs. 26% of other age groups, and 23% of Millennials have accessed loyalty/rewards programs in-store vs. 18% of other age groups (PWC)
  • 58% of global online shoppers prefer to receive discounts, promotions or coupons via email, printed (20%), and text message (10%) (PWC)
  • 67% of global loyalty program members say points or rewards for referrals is appealing, as well as tiered programs with exclusive rewards for customers in a particular level or status (60%) (Nielson)
  • 62% of global loyalty program members say points or rewards for sharing products and pages on social networks is appealing, as well as a store-specific loyalty program mobile app (60%), and integration with third-party apps that consolidate loyalty program information (51%) (Nielson)
  • 80% of Millennials find points or rewards for purchases made in-store, on a website or mobile device appealing, as well as the ability to choose among several types of rewards (81%), and opportunities to earn bonuses by doing some specified activity (81%) (Nielson)
  • 48% of Millennials say product discounts are among their three most valued benefits, followed by rebates & cash back (41%), free products (33%) and free shipping (32%) (Nielson)
  • 79% of Baby Boomers find points or rewards for purchases made in-store, on a website or mobile device appealing, as well as the ability to choose among several types of rewards (75%), and personalized or promotional offerings (70%) (Nielson)
  • 41% of consumers expect offers that are personalized and relevant to them when they walk into a store (ICLP)
  • 22% of customers claim suggestions based on past purchases drive their loyalty (ICLP)
  • 25% of consumers are likely to spend more in a retail store where they are greeted by name and made to feel like a valued customer (ICLP)
  • 24% of consumers stated the ability to send receipts via email would lead them to shop more frequently with a retailer (ICLP)
  • 13% of consumers will choose retailers that offer money-can’t-buy experiences or a stylist to advise on purchase over those that don’t offer personalized benefits (ICLP)
  • 19% of consumers said they would stop shopping at a retailer that had been a victim of a cybersecurity hack, even if the company took the necessary steps to remediate the issue (KPMG)
  • 33% of consumers indicated that fears of further exposure of their personal information would prevent them from shopping at a breached retailer for at least three months (KPMG)
  • Loyalty programs are most influential for consumers when shopping at mass merchandisers (55%) and least influential at office supply retailers (24%) (Berkeley Research Group)
  • U.S. internet users for whom loyalty programs will be influential when deciding where to shop during the 2016 holiday season: department stores (48%), electronics retailers (43%), club stores (37%), drug stores (35%), apparel retailers (33%), sporting goods retailers (25%) (Berkley Research Group)
  • 65% of women have used a grocery store loyalty program in the last three months vs. 50% of men (Vantiv)
  • Nearly 70% of consumers said it is important to them that stores carry goods that cater to the local community. It is most important to Millennials (76%) and least important to Baby Boomers (61%) (Berkeley Research Group)
  • The biggest reason consumers leave a store without making a purchase is that they couldn’t find what they were looking for (60%) and the high price (51%) (Berkeley Group)
  • While retailers can woo 91% of shoppers to spend more if they offer free shipping, 81% of consumers will shop at a competitor if a product is backordered or out-of-stock (Radial)
  • 51% of consumers will stop shopping with a retailer that delivers their order later than expected (Radial)
  • 70% of purchase decisions are made in front of the shelf, so if your product is out of stock, you’re out of luck (Nielson)
  • 37% of consumers purchase another brand when their favorite brand is out of stock, while 21% visit another store (Nielson)
  • 49% of American adults say they would shop more at a retailer that offers a wider selection of multicultural products (The Harris Poll)
  • Members of retailers’ loyalty programs generate between 12% and 18% more revenue for retailers than those who do not belong (Accenture)
  • 71% of retailers say their loyalty program is “differentiated” or “significantly differentiated” from those of their competitors (Accenture)
  • Top loyalty program metrics cited by retailers: membership growth rates (45%), share of transactions by members (42%), retention rate (40%), customer long-term value (37%), number of transactions per year (36%), reward redemptions (32%), campaign response rates (27%), ROI (19%)  and customers engaged socially (16%) (Accenture)
  • Top loyalty program challenges cited by retailers: Keeping up with the underlying technology or investing enough in technology (40%), keeping up with competing loyalty programs (33%), managing the liability and financial complexity of the program (33%), and having enough people and the right kind of talent required for today’s loyalty programs (30%) (Accenture)
  • 66% of consumers said they saw “no evidence” that stores they visit regularly know them as a consumer (Periscope)
  • 49% of Millennials vs. 31% of other generations follow their favorite brands or retailers (USC Dornsife)
  • Less than half of retailers feel their company pricing strategies are building customer loyalty (Precima)
  • 59% of consumers said their opinion of a retailer would be more positive if they started to receive coupons and offers that could be saved on their smartphones (Vibes)
  • 15% of shoppers would give a brand or product a second chance after a poor experience (InReality)
  • 68% of shoppers belong to at least two grocery store loyalty programs (Blackhawk Engagement)
  • 60% of shoppers consider themselves loyal to a particular grocery store (Blackhawk Engagement)
  • 60% of shoppers are willing to jump ship to a rival retailer if their preferred method of delivery isn't available (Kibo Commerce)
  • 27% of shoppers would give a physical store a second chance after a poor interaction (InReality)
  • 16% of shoppers would give an ecommerce site a second chance after a poor experience (InReality)
  • 66% of online consumers said a poor delivery experience could prompt them to hit another ecommerce retailer (Convey)
  • 11% of American adults say they won't do business with a company whose data was breached again (Rand Corp)
  • 27% of shoppers affected by an incorrectly identified fraudulent charge said they will no longer shop with that retailer (CFI Group)
  • 40% of shoppers affected by an incorrectly identified fraudulent charge indicate they will be hesitant to order from that retailer again (CFI Group)
  • 93% of U.S. adults would not return to a retailer if they experienced some type of issue related to the facility (Cintas)
  • Consumers’ favorite grocery retailers in 2016: Wegmans, Publix, Trader Joe’s (Market Force Information)
  • 64% of the affluent middle class are members of supermarket loyalty programs, down from 70% in 2014 (Collinson Group)
  • 47.6% of Millennial shoppers say they feel most valued by retailers who reward them with loyalty points (Cue Connect)

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2016 Travel Loyalty Statistics

  • $48 billion worth of points and airline miles are unredeemed (Maritz)
  • 75% of travelers are willing to share personal information, such as gender, age and email address, in exchange for tailored promotions, coupons, priority service or loyalty points (Zebra Technologies)
  • 46% of loyalty program members said they like the ability to earn points on everyday spending with their airline loyalty program (Collinson Latitude)
  • 47% of loyalty program members said they like the ability to earn points on everyday spending with their hotel loyalty program (Collinson Latitude)
  • 29% of men have used an airline rewards program in the last three months vs. 20% of women (Vantiv)
  • Nearly 40% of "digital native" Millennials rely on mobile apps to track and redeem their rewards, while across all age groups, the use of plastic membership cards dropped by 4% during 2016 (Excentus)
  • 76% of business travelers said they would extend their business trips for leisure if their hotels offered discounts for additional nights or the chance to have a friend or family member join at a discounted rate (Colloquy)
  • 92% of business travelers cited that ease of redemption would get their attention, 84% cited convenience of schedule holding appeal and 73% cited ability to personalize in-flight services (Colloquy)
  • 81% of business travelers cited a higher level of service as having an impact on their evaluation of a loyalty program (Colloquy)
  • 19% of consumers would skip their plans if they were to encounter added charges when booking with loyalty points (Colloquy)
  • 40% of passengers picked their airport based on the airport loyalty program (ICLP)
  • When choosing an airport, Generation X (44%) and Millennials (41%) are much more influenced by airport loyalty programs than Baby Boomers (31%) (ICLP)
  • 80% of U.S. airline loyalty program members are inactive (Skift)
  • 61% of travelers look for loyalty programs with a broad spectrum of rewards (Collinson Latitude)
  • Major hotel chains increased loyalty program members in 2015 by 13.1% compared with 2014 (Skift)
  • 71% of travelers think the value of a loyalty program decreases if it offers a limited range of rewards (Collinson Latitude)
  • 48% of Millennials report loyalty programs are important when booking flights and 51% say they use them when booking hotels (Diamond Resorts)
  • 39% of Millennials agree: “I don’t think it’s worthwhile to sign up for loyalty programs” (ADARA)
  • 68% of Millennials will remain loyal to a program that offers them the most rewards (Internet Marketing)
  • 75% of Millennials will remain loyal to a hotel brand even if they lost all reward points (Internet Marketing)
  • 41% of Millennials joined a travel loyalty program because it was easy to use (Internet Marketing)
  • Top hotel loyalty programs based on customer satisfaction: Hilton HHonors, Marriott Rewards, IHG Rewards Club (JD Power)
  • 83% of highly satisfied hotel loyalty program members say they “definitely will” recommend the brand (JD Power)
  • 77% of hotel loyalty program members say their program is equally as valuable as it was in 2015; 11% say their program is less valuable than the year before (JD Power)
  • 40% of customers choose hotel loyalty programs based on convenience of locations (JD Power)
  • 55% of the affluent middle class hold frequent flyer memberships, down from 65% in 2014 (Collinson Group)
  • InterContinental Hotels Group’s IHG Rewards Club is the world’s largest hotel loyalty program with more than 92 million members as of December 31, 2015 (Skift)

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2016 Restaurant Loyalty Statistics

  • 96% of millennials are using restaurant loyalty programs (Software Advice)
  • 59% of millennials quit restaurant loyalty programs because rewards “aren’t valuable enough” (Software Advice)
  • 30% of millennials prefer earning points based on the money they spend at the restaurant (Software Advice
  • An integrated loyalty program is the #6 feature restaurants look for when upgrading restaurant POS systems (Toast)
  • Loyalty signup rates increase by 1,000% when the loyalty program is integrated with the customer’s credit card and the buying experience (Toast)
  • 52% of millennials want to use their mobile devices to take advantage of loyalty programs offered by restaurants, bars and coffee shops (Oracle)
  • 69% of consumers say their experience paying affects their willingness to return to a restaurant (Blackhawk Network)

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2016 Bank & Financial Loyalty Statistics

  • 35% of consumers cite reward points/cash back as the credit card benefits they love most (CreditCards.com)
  • 73% of Americans say rewards are one of the most important factors when choosing a credit card (NerdWallet)
  • 52% of loyalty program members said they like the ability to earn points on everyday spending with their retail banking loyalty program (Collinson Latitude)
  • 31% of senior citizens have been using the same card most often for at least a decade and another 20% have never switched from their primary card (CreditCards.com)
  • 24% of consumers said they switched their favorite card in the past one to three years (CreditCards.com)
  • 43% of cardholders between the ages of 18 and 29 reported switching cards in the past 1-3 years (CreditCards.com)
  • 19% of consumers say they've favored the same card for at least 10 years, 15% report never changing their primary card (CreditCards.com)
  • 42% of Baby Boomers participate in credit card rewards and 22% of retirees participate in grocery rewards (Vantiv)
  • Consumers prefer credit card rewards (37%) over grocery store rewards (18%) (Vantiv)
  • Nearly 60% of consumers belong to grocery store and credit card rewards programs and use them at least once every three months (Vantiv)
  • Millennials ages 25-34 are 2-3 times more likely to close all accounts with their primary financial institution than people in other age groups (FICO)
  • Millennials are 2 times more likely this year than last year to close all accounts and switch banks (FICO)
  • 45% of Millennials ages 25-34 and 36% of Millennials ages 18-24 cited high fees as a reason for switching banks (FICO)
  • A negative experience related to a missed payment was the number 2 reason for Millennials age 25-34 to switch banks (FICO)
  • Inconvenient branch locations and too few ATMs tied as the number 3 reason Millennials (age 25-34) switch banks (FICO)
  • Younger Millennials reported switching banks due to a negative fraud-related experience (FICO)
  • 16% of Millennials (age 25-34) are considering opening an everyday banking product with an online-only bank within the next year. (FICO)
  • 51% of U.S. consumers aged 18-34 say they’d be happier if their banks understood them better compared to just 27% of those aged 35+ (NGDATA)
  • Less than 30% of consumers believe that offers from their banks are customized for their individual needs (NGDATA)
  • 32% of consumers cited easy-to-use online services as the most important factor when interacting with their bank (NGDATA)
  • 8% of Millennials cite rewards as a primary draw to use credit cards (Facebook)
  • 8% of Millennials trust financial institutions (Facebook)
  • 45% of Millennials say they would switch banks, credit cards or brokerage accounts if a better option came along (Facebook)
  • 30% of Millennials want to feel rewarded for their loyalty to a financial institution (Facebook)
  • 66% of financial executives said acquiring new customers was their top strategic objective for their loyalty program. Just 56% said customer retention was their top objective (Forrester)
  • 68% of banks are somewhat or completely satisfied with their loyalty programs (Forrester)
  • 69% of banks use call centers as part of their loyalty program communication (Forrester)
  • 63% of banks use mass media as part of their loyalty program communication, compared to just 49% of other industries (Forrester)
  • 66% of banks see purchase frequency and brand advocacy as desired outcomes of loyalty programs (Forrester)
  • 22% of banks see redeeming points for rewards as a desired outcome of a loyalty program (Forrester)
  • 81% of banks use customer retention as a key metric in evaluating the success of their loyalty program (Forrester)
  • 48% of the affluent middle class participate in credit card programs, down from 63% in 2014 (Collinson Group)
  • 30% of the affluent middle class use bank loyalty programs, down from 47% in 2014 (Collinson Group)

2016 Member and Subscriber Engagement & Loyalty Statistics

  • 49% of associations show member growth, up from 46% in 2015  (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 31% of associations report a retention rate of less than 85%, the lowest since 2012 (McKinley Advisors)
  • 68% of associations report renewal rates of 80% or higher (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 54% of association leaders say their association’s retention rate has stayed the same over the past 12 months (McKinley Advisors)
  • 51% of associations say their membership has increased over the past five years (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 44% of associations report no change in renewal rates, 24% showed increase (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 22% of associations report declines in membership over the past year (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • Associations with renewal rates of over 80% are more likely to offer installment renewal plans, renewal-bill me plans, and automatic EFT annual renewals (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • Associations with less than 60% member renewal rates aim to boost membership rates (66%), while associations with 80% or higher renewal rates seek to increase member engagement (57%) (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 55% of all association members have engaged in at least one activity with the association in the past year (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • Trade association members are the most active, with 64% participating in at least one activity in the past year (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 58% of associations have an initiative or plan for increasing member engagement (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • Associations with 20,000 or more members are 71% more likely to have an engagement plan (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 60% of associations with a renewal rate of 80% or higher have an engagement plan (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • Top reasons members don't renew memberships: lack of engagement (33%), left the industry (30%), couldn't justify costs (29%) (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 83% of associations cite engaging members as a motivation for using social media (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 63% of programs offering a young professional program saw an increase in participation (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 55% of members say they join associations to network with peers (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 76% of associations with increasing renewal rates indicate increased participation in their private social networks (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 56% of associations with a renewal rate of 80% or better used fixed renewal dates (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • Most effective channels for generating member renewals: email (77%), mail (58%), staff phone calls (37%) (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • Most effective channels for reinstating lapsed members: email (66%), phone (41%), direct mail (35%) (Marketing General Incorporated)
  • 73% of association donors who volunteer are more likely to donate again (Abila)
  • 74% of association donors who attend an event are more likely to donate again (Abila)
  • 72% of association donors may stop donating because of unsatisfactory content (Abila)
  • 71% of association donors say personalized messages make them feel more engaged (Abila)
  • 22% of association leaders say improving member retention is a top 2016 priority (McKinley Advisors)
  • 25% of association leaders cite developing new methods for member engagement as a top 2016 priority (McKinley Advisors)
  • 65% of association leaders are concerned with membership retention in light of the current economic situation (McKinley Advisors)
  • 16% of associations report that their attrition rate was higher than normal after their last dues increase; 60% note that it was about the same (McKinley Advisors)
  • Top communication methods used in new member onboarding: email (80%), mailed welcome kit (50%), membership card (46%) (Marketing General Incorporated)

2016 B2B LOYALTY STATISTICS

  • 29% of your B2B customers are engaged (Gallup)
  • B2B customers with high customer engagement scores achieve 50% higher revenue/sales, 34% higher profitability and 55% higher share of wallet (Gallup)
  • 54% of B2B marketers said making customers more loyal was a leading business challenge, a 10% increase from the previous year (B2B International)
  • 55% of B2B marketers say improving customer engagement is a top priority for content marketing programs (Ascend2)
  • Increasing engagement rates is the top goal for 54% of email marketers followed by increasing customer acquisition (48%) and improving email personalization (43%) (Ascend2)
  • 46% of inbound marketers and 45% of outbound marketers said increasing revenue derived from existing customers is a marketing priority at their company (Hubspot)
  • 32% of US marketers said customer loyalty was their top strategic strategy priority (Clutch)
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Topics: customer loyalty

Written by: Brandon Carter

Brandon is a former writer and marketer for Access Development. He's a frequent blogger on customer and employee engagement & loyalty, consumer trends, and branding. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Twitter at @bscarter

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